Improvement in casting steel ingots



J. A. HOLM ES.

Casting Steel ingots.

Pat ented August 5, 1873.

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AM. PHOYUUTHDGRAPHICCO.9V.( ossomlsbpnacfssQ UNITED STATES PATENTOrrrcn.

JAMES A. HOLMES, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CASTING STEEL INGOTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 141,506, dated August5, 1873; application filed December 10, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES A. HOLMES, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, haveinvented an Improvement in the Manufacture of Gast- Steel, of which thefollowing is a specification:

The object of my invention is to produce cast-steel ingots, which arefree from the crevices and other imperfections common to ingots cast inmolds in the usual manner.

I attain this object by permitting the steel to become cool in ahermetically-sealed crucible, in which it is melted, the crucible A being made with one side, E, detachable, as shown in the perspective view,Figure 1, of the accompanying drawing, or being provided with adetachable lining, B, as shown in the sectional view, Fig. 3, so thatthe ingot may be removed without injury to the crucible.

In casting ingots of steel in molds in the usual manner, a crevice isformed in the metal during the cooling of the same, this crevicepenetrating the ingot to a greater or less extent, and rendering a greatportion of it unfit for use in the manufacture of objects of steel. Theingot is also liable to become oxidized and full of small cavities orhoney-combs, as they are sometimes termed.

I have ascertained that if the steel be permitted to cool in thecrucible in which it is melted the formation of this crevice and of thesmaller cavities will be obviated but as it would be a difficult matterto remove the cooled ingot from an'ordinary crucible without fracturingthe. latter, I make a special crucible wherewith to carry out myinvention. I

In the perspective view,-Fig. 1, and plan view, Fig. 2, of 'theaccompanying drawing, which illustrate the simplest form of this specialcrucible, the latter is made with one side, F, detachable, it having inthe present instance beveled edges adapted to corresponding grooves inthe adjacent sides of the crucible, through which it can be caused toslide. This crucible, after having been filled and closed by a suitablecap, and the joints packed with clay or other refractory material, isplaced in the usual furnace, and there remains until its contents aremelted, when it is removed and permitted to become cool, after which thecap is detached and the slide F withdrawn, when the ingot may be readilyremoved without injury to the crucible, which can be at once preparedfor the casting of another ingot.

Another form of special crucible which may be used in carrying out myinvention is illustrated in Figs. and 4, whereArepresents the exteriorcasing, or, as it may be termed, the crucible proper, made square in thepresent instance, and of the usual material. This casing or cruciblecontains a detachable lining composed of four vertical slabs, a, abasepiece, I), and a cap, d. Over the upper end of the lining fits aflanged cover, D, between which and the sides of a socket, 0, formed atthe top of the crucible intervenes a space to be packed with clay orother retracting material.

After the melting and cooling of the contents of the lined crucible thecover D is removed, whenthe metal with its lining slabs may be Withdrawnand the crucible used again; After withdrawing the cooled ingot from thecrucible the lining slabs may be readily detached from the same withoutfracturing, and are ready to be used again.

I prefer to make these slabs of one determined size and interchangeable,so that they can be readily replaced when broken.

The interior of the crucible may be separated into any desired number ofcompartments by detachable lining slabs-in Fig. 4,

for instance, the crucible contains four compartments.

It is most important that the crucible be hermetically sealed, inasmuchas thereby the gases are prevented from coming in contact with anddeteriorating the metal, while the latter, being preserved from contactwith the air,

is cooled so gradually that the formation of external crusts andinternal cavities is effectually prevented.

I claim as my invention- I 1. The production of ingots of cast-steel bythe process described, namely, melting the steel in a crucible which ishermetically sealed,

and then permitting the steel to cool in the In testimony whereof I havesigned my crucible, from which the ingot is removed as name to thisspecification in the presence of set forth. two subscribing witnesses.

2.- A crucible made with one side detacha- JAMES A. HOLMES. ble,substantially as and for the purpose set forth. Witnesses: I

3. A crucible made with detachable lin- WM. A. STEEL, ings,substantially as and for the purpose HUBERT HOWSON.

specified.

